ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  San Diego State’s best player is slogging through a rough stretch, waist-deep in ice. No one else seems capable of consistently providing a thaw.

A special season has slowed on a speed bump that, at present, seems like a mountain – with a peak positioned directly in front of whatever basket the Aztecs are shooting on.

A bigger, physically stronger, better-shooting New Mexico team and its clamorous fans made sixth-ranked SDSU look average on Saturday night, going up big and cruising to a 58-44 victory at The Pit that left the two-team cream of the Mountain West Conference tied for first place, both with 12-2 records.

There are four games to play, including the March 8 season finale against these same Lobos.

“New Mexico is the best team we’ve played this season,” said Steve Fisher, whose team has three victories over teams ranked in the Top 25. “… I’m not just saying that because of the fact we got beat – and beat badly.”

At least that one is at home, though you have to wonder if that will matter if SDSU can’t get off shots closer to the rim and find a way to counter all the diversity New Mexico brings.

And just make some more baskets.

“You’re not going to win when you shoot like that,” Fisher said.

So that better change, what with that New Mexico rematch followed directly by the conference and NCAA tournaments, which means possibly more of the best teams the Aztecs have played all year.

As of now, the Lobos (21-5) arguably hold the momentum. San Diego State (23-3) has its work cut out in order to not be left holding its throats in two weeks.

Really, there is little shame in losing a game to the two-time defending conference champions in the MWC’s most hostile of environs. (Sorry, Aztecs fans, The Pit on Saturday made the typical Viejas crowd seem like a librarian convention.)

But SDSU’s troubles of late at least hint at the impetus of a trend.

Junior J.J. O’Brien said afterward the Aztecs’ shooting woes are “not worrisome” and he denied the team is “in a slump.” The explanation that “We didn’t take our best shots” was difficult to argue with, but it was impossible to concur with his conclusion.

Saturday’s seven-point halftime deficit, the product of making just 29.7 percent of their shots to that point, was dissonantly similar to the first half in Wyoming 11 days prior that led to the end of the Aztecs’ 20-game win streak.

If Thames had any claim in the conference Player of the Year race, it clanked off the rim Saturday. As Bairstow pretty much dictated what he wanted to do, finishing with a game-high 26 points, Thames finished three-of-15 from the floor and is now 10-for-52 (19.2 percent) in his past four games.

“It’s just not going in right now,” Thames said, speaking for himself.

Thames is by no means the only one whose shot is shivering.

As a team, the Aztecs are shooting 38.5 percent (87-for-226) in that span. Their season-low point total Saturday followed a season-low 60 in Wednesday’s easy victory over Utah State and came in short order after what had been their second-lowest total (62) at Wyoming on Feb. 11.